The Village Times Herald - January 12, 2023

Obituary Walter Watson, SBU professor emeritus and author

Walter W. Watson, 97, of Setauket, died Jan. 4 due to complication of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

He was born Dec. 31, 1925, in New York City, the middle child of Drs. Gladys H. Watson and Goodwin B. Watson. In 1951, he married Norma Hostetler in Chicago, where they met and were both working.

As a 17-year-old in 1942, Walter entered the University of Chicago and obtained his Bachelor of Philosophy before being drafted in 1944. He was assigned to a medical clearing company and served in France and Germany, receiving two bronze stars. He was attached to the Army unit that liberated Dachau just northwest of Munich, a time he rarely spoke of.

Upon discharge, Walter returned to the University of Chicago to study and teach until he received his doctorate in philosophy. In 1958, he was awarded a National Science Foundation Faculty Fellowship and spent a year at Caltech in Pasadena, California, studying under Richard Feynman and other eminent scientists.

In 1959, he joined the faculty at what would become Stony Brook University, then located at Oyster Bay. He taught both graduate and undergraduate classes at Stony Brook for more than 35 years.

His love of philosophy, teaching and adventure meant that he also accepted invitations to teach at the University of Puerto Rico, the University of Hawaii, and to join the first group of U.S. philosophers to visit China.

Beyond his impact on numerous students, Walter’s lasting legacy may well be his two books, “The Architectonics of Meaning:

Foundations of a New Pluralism” and “The Lost Second Book of Aristotle’s ‘Poetics.’”

After retirement, Walter and Norma traveled widely, both on their own and with family and friends. When not exploring the world or writing, Walter thoroughly enjoyed working in his garden.

He is survived by his wife, Norma, daughter Joanna and sister Patricia. Walter was preceded in death by his son Geoffrey and sister Jeanne.

A memorial will be held at a later date.

Donations may be made to the Three Village Community Trust, an organization Walter truly believed in.

MORE OBITUARIES ON A8

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Walter W. Watson. Photo from Norma Watson

Schumer announces $450K to help demolish buildings at Lawrence Aviation

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Public officials of all levels of government, business and civic leaders, and community members gathered Monday, Jan. 9, before a derelict building at the Lawrence Aviation Superfund site in Port Jefferson Station.

goals. “One, a railroad-use project to help the LIRR with logistics; industrial redevelopment of a 5-megawatt solar farm,” and lastly, add 50 construction jobs to the local economy.

COUNTY

Once a dumping ground for toxic waste, policymakers are now plotting a course of action for this 126-acre property. After taking decades to rid the site of harmful contaminants, officials and community groups are working toward an ambitious proposal to convert the site into a multipurpose community hub, accommodating a solar farm, a railyard and open space for local residents.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called the press conference to announce the injection of $450,000 in federal funds secured through the recent omnibus budget. This money will be used to help demolish the remaining buildings at the property.

“We’re here today to showcase one of the final puzzle pieces needed to demo 14 dangerous buildings here,” Schumer said. “I am here today to say that the train that is on this journey is ready to leave the station.”

The Senate majority leader added that these funds would advance three community

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) described the considerable intergovernmental coordination and logistical obstacles to get to this stage.

“This project, as reflected by all of the people that have come together and all the levels of government, is critically important to the community,” he said.

Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) discussed the long and arduous road to revitalizing the site and the decades that have passed as this community blight lay barren.

“These buildings have been condemned for over 25 years,” he said. “This has been a Superfund site for almost 25 years. Finally, we will see these buildings come down.”

Former New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) also attended the press event. During his time in Albany, he championed the site’s conversion for environmental and community purposes.

“We have a plan that will enhance our community and create new jobs,” he said. “This property stood out as a place in peril of a potentially bad decision,” adding, “Instead, we have a very thoughtful plan.”

Englebright, a geologist by trade, also

touched upon the environmental impacts that redevelopment will offer through these plans. He said local harbors, groundwater and surface waters would benefit as this dark

episode in local history concludes.

“The harbor, which is the beginning of our town, has been poisoned by the solvents

Three Village CSD Pre-Kindergarten Program Lottery Application Window Now Open

The Three Village Central School District will be offering a district-operated, tuition-free, half-day Pre-Kindergarten program for the 2023-2024 school year. There is an Enrichment option that will allow families to extend their child’s Pre-K day. Families interested in learning more about the Pre-Kindergarten programs are encouraged to visit the Pre-K page of the Three Village district website. Links & information for the lottery applications are currently available on the Pre-K page. All student lottery applicants must be registered in the district with a Student ID# in order to be considered in the lottery. Children must be 4 years old on or before December 1, 2023. For more information please visit: https://sites.google.com/3villagecsd.org/3vpre-k/home

All applications are due by end of day February 17, 2023. Questions? Please visit the FAQ section of our Pre-K page.

Graffiti art lines the exterior walls of abandoned buildings as litter and debris clutter the grounds throughout the Lawrence Aviation property. Photo by Raymond Janis

SCHUMER CONTINUED ON

One-on-one with SBU retiree Dickinson as she embarks on new challenges

BY RITA J. EGAN RITA@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

For Joan Dickinson, the new year will be a little less hectic after her retirement — which officially began on Jan. 6 — from Stony Brook University.

Dickinson retired after 25 years with SBU. For the past year and a half, she was assistant vice president of university and hospital community relations. Before her most recent position, she was community relations director in government and community relations for a decade after first working in the university’s communications department for 15 years.

Dickinson entered the world of academia in 1997 with a background in the corporate sector. While she found it to be different initially from her prior work experience, she tackled various roles, grew professionally and faced and met several challenges successfully.

Among the lessons she has learned during her tenure was the importance of listening.

“Every person has a story, and I became fascinated with hearing them,” she said. “That helped me become better at mediation and negotiation.”

She also discovered her leadership skills when “putting ideas and people together to solve a problem or create a program.”

Through the years, she interacted with people at SBU, local businesses and the university’s neighbors and worked to connect them with the right department at the college.

“I had the benefit of working with every corner of the campus community, and relationships with so many departments,” Dickinson said. “They are the ones who helped me get the job done.”

Relations with the community

One of the biggest challenges SBU encountered during her tenure was issues with off-campus housing in the Three Village area. University officials became involved with improving rental conditions for students and helping to make them better neighbors by working with former Town of Brookhaven Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station), the town’s Law Department, Suffolk County Police Department and the grassroots organization Stony Brook Concerned Homeowners. Dickinson said it was a good opportunity for the campus to work with the community.

“We all got together and came up with a plan, and I think that’s why that worked,” she said. “It was a very good town-gown solution.”

Tackling the issue led to better guidelines for rentals in Brookhaven, SBU programs to educate students on how to be good neighbors and what a legal rental as well as a rental agreement looks like. She said it was vital to teach students that tenants have rights, too. The program is still offered each semester.

“Some of the landlords were just in it for

the money, and some of the students were put in unsafe conditions,” she said.

Dickinson is proud of the K-12 program she ran while at SBU, which brings thousands of students from primarily underserved communities to the university for campus tours, hands-on learning activities, also empowerment and inspirational talks. The activities include a wide range of programs, including about health and STEM careers as well as art crawls. Dickinson worked with the Long Island Latino Teachers Association and several local school districts.

“The opportunity to bring students who never thought college was within their reach, bring them to campus and show them what’s possible, that was a lot of fun,” Dickinson said.

Besides interacting with the SBU community, Dickinson has been connected with local chambers of commerce and other organizations in surrounding communities such as Three Village, Smithtown, Middle Country, Port Jeff and Ronkonkoma.

“It was important to see how the communities live, because every community is different,” she said. “So, you find the best solutions to problems when you understand where the people are coming from.”

She said residents from various areas would call her when they had a problem with students or the university at large.

“I think that’s why having the community relations office is such an important part of the conversation between the campus and the community, because they did know they could call me at any time,” Dickinson said.

She added she always tried to relay to residents the value the university brings to the region as everyone is welcome to the campus to walk through the paths, look at art in some of the art galleries and more.

Overcoming the pandemic

She also created CommUniversity Day at SBU, which she called one of the highlights of her career, despite the event being stalled due to COVID-19. Before the pandemic, she said the university was able to organize three of the annual events, the last one being held in 2019, that invited local residents to campus.

Dickinson said she was disappointed when COVID brought it to a halt as each year she was building on the event to make it bigger and better, with more departments participating. By the third year, she described it as “a well-oiled machine” with a wide variety of activities.

As for the pandemic, during the earlier months, Dickinson pulled together a team and headed up a PPE drive for hospital workers that not only included personal protection equipment for employees but also donations of iPads, comfort care items, chewing gum and tissues from the community.

The first few months of the pandemic were an unpredictable and intense time at Stony

Brook University Hospital, she said. “We didn’t know from minute to minute what was happening, and I credit the leadership of the institution for getting us through that.”

The retiree said she will never forget the 2020 Easter season when store owners called to say they wanted to donate items because no one was buying anything. They donated flowers, chocolates, eggs that wouldn’t be used for holiday egg hunts and other seasonal items. Dickinson and a team organized the donations for hospital workers to take whatever they needed if they celebrated Easter.

“I will never forget this woman who stood there and looked at me and was crying, and she said, ‘I haven’t had a chance to go shopping for my son for Easter. Now he’s going to get something.’”

She added the hospital workers were working around the clock.

“I credit the hospital with saving our community,” Dickinson said.

Looking ahead

The SBU alum, who lives in Lake Grove with her husband, isn’t saying goodbye to the university altogether. She will teach two classes this semester in the honors college, after teaching at the university for 10 years. But with more free time, Dickinson, who said she is a writer at heart, plans to spend time on various personal projects.

Her former position, which she described as a “dynamic job” is still open as a replacement has not been found.

“Part of the reason why I liked it is I always said I never walked into the same office twice,” Dickinson said. “I never knew from one day to the next what was going to be on fire or put on my plate. It was always changing, and I found that that was just fun to me. That was just captivating. You never

knew, and it kept you on

I was never ever bored.”

Dickinson had some advice for whoever takes her place.

“I would recommend that the person, whoever takes over this position, that they have a clear understanding of where we’ve come from,” she said. “How has the university changed? How has the campus culture changed? And, understanding where we are now at this point in history.”

your toes.

The Three Village Chamber of Commerce awarded Joan Dickinson, second from left front row, with its Harold Pryor Award for her community service earlier this year. Below, Dickinson, left, and Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn. Photo above from Three Village Chamber of Commerce; photo below by Leah Dunaief

Kevin LaValle and Lisa Di Santo debate the future of Brookhaven clerk’s office

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Early voting is underway for the next Brookhaven town clerk, and the two major party candidates are making their pitch to the voters.

introduced a multipronged approach, including attending community meetings and building a more prominent multimedia presence.

“I want to be a town clerk going out to various functions,” he said. “A lot of people here see me in a lot of different events. That’s something I’m going to continue to do because I think the outreach of going out to the public and showing them what the clerk’s office does … is fundamentally important.”

SPECIAL ELECTION

Former Town Clerk Donna Lent (I) retired in November, triggering a special election for her unexpired term ending in 2025. Town of Brookhaven Councilman Kevin LaValle (R-Selden) and community advocate Lisa Di Santo, the Democratic Party nominee, will square off at the polls Tuesday, Jan. 17.

During a joint meeting of the Selden and Centereach civic associations Thursday, Jan. 5, the two candidates were questioned on a range of topics related to the operations of the Town Clerk’s Office. Civic members generated some of the questions with others fielded from the audience.

Introductions

Di Santo is a former social studies teacher who taught students about participation in government. She also served as a trustee of the South Country school board in East Patchogue, where she lives.

“I have always participated in government, and I feel that I can be an independent voice of reason in the Town Clerk’s Office,” she said. “We have many of the same people filling many of the same positions over and over again. … That leads to a bit of stagnation, and I think it’s time for a fresh set of ideas, a fresh set of eyes, on what’s happening in the Town Clerk’s Office.”

Before entering government, LaValle owned a title agency. He then received a loan mortgage originator’s license and has worked in mortgage banking ever since. The councilman worked on the staff of former Suffolk County Legislators Dan Losquadro (R) and Tom Muratore (R). He was elected to serve Brookhaven’s 3rd Council District in 2013 in an area which includes Lake Grove, Centereach, Selden and parts of Lake Ronkonkoma, Farmingville, Port Jeff Station and a piece of Holbrook.

“I think I’ve accomplished a great deal as councilman, but I come before you now, again, to say that as town clerk, I am going to bring a new energy,” he said. “I am going to bring a new work ethic to the Town Clerk’s Office that has not been seen before.”

Duties of town clerk

Both candidates were asked about the function of the town clerk. For Di Santo, the clerk must ensure the accurate recording of

Town Board meetings and the efficient filing of legal records, among other tasks. She emphasized the significance of the Freedom of Information Law request process.

“One of the most important things has to do with [being] the appeals officer for FOIL requests that come to the town,” she said. “People who live here and pay taxes should be able to access that information.”

The Democratic candidate also said the incoming clerk must assess and modernize the existing technology in the office. “I have spoken with some people who work in the Town Clerk’s Office and told me that their technology is at least 10 years out of date,” she said. “That is something that is certainly personally scary to me.”

LaValle viewed the clerk’s role as threefold, that is to “secure, maintain and distribute vital records of the residents of the Town of Brookhaven.” He referred to the office as a “vital hub,” servicing residents in the best and worst times.

“I believe the efficiency could be improved in the Town Clerk’s Office,” he said. “Cybersecurity, I think that’s something we can take to another level.”

He viewed the clerk as a service provider rather than a policymaker or revenue generator, noting that empowering and providing the staff with the necessary resources will be critical. “As the clerk, the focus will be about making sure the staff has the tools to be able to do their job,” he said.

Cybersecurity

Addressing the September ransomware attack against the Suffolk County government, LaValle assessed shortcomings within the county’s IT network. He described the need for coordination between departments, recommending the town continues its transition to cloud technologies to avert a similar scenario.

“The cloud is probably the best security that you can have, but we have to stay vigilant and make sure we’re looking at new technologies

as we move along to make sure our information stays secure,” the councilman said.

Di Santo concurred that replacing outdated technology will be a priority. She stressed the need to properly oversee the transition to new platforms and work out any technical or logistic challenges that may arise.

“When you have new technology, one of the things that is crucial is to make certain that the staff is comfortable with that technology, that they’re fully trained so that they are able to use that to the best of their ability,” she said.

Staffing

After conversations with staff members, Di Santo painted a bleak picture of the current situation within the Town Clerk’s Office. “The office is actually understaffed,” she said. “Morale is really not very good in the office. You have a lot of turnover, so it’s very difficult to have the best customer service when you have staff changing and needing to be retrained.”

She reiterated that “a fresh set of eyes” from somebody outside government will help identify areas for improvement and generate potential solutions.

LaValle said he would prefer close collaboration with the Town Board, analyzing any barriers to efficient staff operations. He then stated a desire to fund personnel better.

“I want to be able to go in, take a real good look at what is going on in the office,” he said. “Do we need more employees? Should we pay our employees more?”

He also advanced the need to offer a vision the staff can get behind. “We have to work with the employees and build a team concept,” he said. “I want to make this the best clerk’s office in New York state. Without our employees buying into my leadership and what I want to do, that’s not going to happen.”

Resident access

Both candidates addressed the need to decentralize the office, to move services out of Town Hall and into the various hamlets and villages throughout the township. LaValle

He added, “I want to be able to go out and bring back some transparency — new social media platforms, doing videos on Channel 18 talking about what we can do to help residents.”

Di Santo said she has heard from multiple residents that resident access to public records can be slow. She again centered on requests for public information.

“The town clerk is the final appeals officer for the FOIL law,” she said. “In some cases, those requests get bounced from one department to another and the clock seems to run out.”

She added, “People who are residents, our taxpayers, are asking for information from their town, and in many cases it seems that it is being stonewalled.

The town clerk has a responsibility to provide that information.”

Open government

Candidates were asked what the term “open government” means and how they would bring town government closer to the people.

“Open government means giving everyone the opportunity to participate at their fullest,” Di Santo said. “I would, as town clerk, try to appeal to the Town Board members to make many of the meetings much more accessible to the many people in the town who work.”

She also proposed bringing the operations of the Town Clerk’s Office to local libraries and other community forums. “The town clerk [could] go into each and every one of those council districts several times a year, appear at the senior centers and the local libraries to have discussions with people,” she said.

Like Di Santo, LaValle stressed he would maintain an active community presence if elected. “I want to go out, I want to be at senior centers, I want to be at civic meetings, I want to be in chambers of commerce, talking about what the clerk’s office does,” he said. “You have to get out there. You have to be a part of the community.”

Brookhaven residents will decide on these two candidates this Tuesday, Jan. 17. Polls open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and residents can report to their regular polling place on Election Day.

A special election for Brookhaven Town Clerk will take place Tuesday, Jan. 17. Above, Kevin LaValle (left) and Lisa Di Santo, respective nominees for the Republican and Democratic parties. Photos by Raymond Janis

‘As the clerk, the focus will be about making sure the staff has the tools to be able to do their job.’

— Kevin LaValle

‘I would, as town clerk, try to appeal to the Town Board members to make many of the meetings much more accessible.’

— Lisa Di Santo

SCHUMER

Continued from A3

that were poured into the ground here,” the former assemblyman said. “That is a thing of the past because of the federal involvement with the Superfund cleanup.”

He added, “All the levels of government are working together here, which is a beautiful thing. It’s a model for what government should be able to do all the time.”

Jen Dzvonar, president of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce, also offered her perspective. She said public improvements such as these indirectly support and promote local businesses.

“Any improvement in Port Jefferson Station is major,” she said. “By getting the blight away from the area, we will increase businesses. A solar farm is coming. They’re creating 50 construction jobs. It just heightens Port Jefferson Station and the desire to come here.”

Representing the Village of Port Jefferson were Mayor Margot Garant

and Deputy Mayor Kathianne Snaden. Both stressed the importance of this undertaking, conveying their support for neighboring Port Jefferson Station in its community aspirations.

Garant viewed the plans as an opportunity to improve the Port Jefferson Branch line of the Long Island Rail Road. “We’re really in support of this because of the MTA portion of it,” she said. “To clean up this site, to put it back to public use, to not have the county paying taxes on it, is good for everybody.”

For Snaden, the project will bolster the village’s neighbors, representing a vital regional investment. “I think it’s great,” she said. “It’s a cleanup of the site. It’s knocking down these falling buildings, adding to the betterment of the entire community and the region at large.”

Schumer said the next step would be to ensure that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development expedites these funds, facilitating the prompt demolition of the buildings and swift redevelopment of the site.

The following incidents have been reported

Lake Grove man arrested for firearm

Suffolk County Police arrested a man on Jan. 7 for Criminal Possession of a Firearm in Lake Ronkonkoma. Fourth Precinct Patrol officers responded to Raynor Park, located at 174 Ronkonkoma Ave., after a 911 caller reported a man with a gun running around the lake at 4:20 p.m. Officers canvassed the area and located a man who fit the description of the subject on Lake Terrace Road at 4:24 p.m. The man, Kyle Cronin, was allegedly in possession of a .32 caliber revolver and was taken into custody. Upon further investigation, an AR15 rifle was found inside Cronin’s residence on Walnut Street in Lake Grove, and was seized. Cronin, 20, was charged with Criminal Possession of a Firearm.

Black Lives Matter sign damaged

Just released! Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Hate Crimes Unit detectives are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the person wearing a motorcycle helmet who allegedly damaged a Black Lives Matter sign outside of Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, located at 380 Nicolls Road in East Setauket, at 12:03 a.m. on Oct. 26.

Wanted for Smithtown Burglary

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who allegedly burglarized a Smithtown business in November. A man allegedly broke a lock and entered Transitions Counseling Services located at 22 Lawrence Avenue, on Nov. 18 at approximately 8:45 p.m. and stole cash.

Wanted for Lake Grove Petit Larceny

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate a man and woman who allegedly stole assorted clothing from Macy’s, located in the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove, at approximately 3 p.m. on Dec. 7. The merchandise was valued at approximately $545.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.

by Suffolk County Police:

Do you recognize this woman? Photo from SCPD

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

Do you recognize this man? Photo from SCPD — COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) at the podium. Photo by Raymond Janis

William Floyd 54 Ward Melville 51

Colonials corral Patriots

BY BILL LANDON DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

points apiece. Junior Lorenzo Beaton added 9, and 11th grader Devin Lynch netted 8.

The Patriots took to the road a few days later for a game against Patchogue-Medford Jan. 10. Ward Melville lost, 56-47.

SPORTS

The Ward Melville Patriots went into the halftime break protecting a six-point lead in a home game against William Floyd, but the Colonials pressed in the fourth quarter to lead by one with 13 seconds left in regulation. Ward Melville inbounded the ball but was unable to find the net, falling to Floyd 54-51 in the League 2 matchup Jan. 6.

Teammates Lorenzo Velez and Neelesh Raghurama led the Patriots in scoring with ten

The loss drops Ward Melville to 3-4 in Division II.

Pictured clockwise from above, rebound; Ward Melville junior Tyler Jean-Noel drives the lane; Patriots junior Brady Reyling climbs his way to the basket; Ward Melville senior Lorenzo Velez goes to the rim; and Patriots junior Lorenzo Beaton shoots.

— Photos by Bill Landon

Theresa Whelan, Suffolk County Surrogate’s Court judge, dies at 60

PREPARED BY THE HON. THOMAS F. WHELAN DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Theresa Whelan, of Wading River, a longtime Suffolk County judge who served for more than 10 years in Family Court and most recently as the county’s Surrogate’s Court judge, died Monday, Dec. 26, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was 60.

OBITUARY

Whelan always knew she wanted to be in public service. As a young attorney fresh out of Albany Law School, she began her legal career in 1988 as a Suffolk County assistant county attorney. She entered the court system in 1990 as a senior law clerk to Supreme Court Judge Eli Wagner, in Nassau County. She went on to work as a principal law clerk in Suffolk County for Supreme Court Judge Mary M. Werner and, later, Supreme Court Judge William B. Rebolini. During her 17 years in the Supreme Court, she worked in nearly every part, including civil litigation, guardianship, tax certiorari and condemnation cases, as well as matrimonial matters.

She eventually took the bench herself in 2008 after she was elected to serve as a judge in Suffolk County Family Court. There, she heard primarily child abuse and neglect cases, and presided over Family Treatment Court where she worked to safely reunite families. Whelan became Suffolk County’s Surrogate in 2019, presiding over proceedings involving wills, trusts and estates as well as guardianship matters. She retired in the summer of 2022, marking 32 years within the New York State court system.

Known for her commitment to improving

court practices to better serve the needs of the public, Whelan mobilized several initiatives that helped families and children and that expanded access to justice for all court users. She was appointed Supervising Judge of the Suffolk County Family Court in 2016, and one of the many reforms she spearheaded was providing remote access to temporary orders of protection, allowing individuals to petition the court from a hospital, a police precinct or a shelter. She was a catalyst of the FOCUS (Family Overcoming Crisis through Unified Services) initiative, a program that expedites access to services that address the trauma and developmental needs of children and parents in the court system.

She also served as lead judge of the Suffolk County Child Welfare Court Improvement Project, part of a statewide initiative to address court practices in cases where the court has removed children from their parents’ care. In 2016, Chief Administrative Judge Larry Marks appointed her to the Family Court Advisory and Rules Committee. In 2018, former New York Court of Appeals Chief Judge Janet DiFiore appointed Whelan to the New York State Commission on Parental Representation, which is tasked with holding public hearings and reporting on the status and quality of lawyers representing parents in child welfare cases. Since 2016, Whelan had been the chair of Suffolk County’s Attorneys for Children Advisory Committee, which is responsible for considering the qualifications of new applicants to the Attorneys for Children panel as well as reviewing the recertification applications for existing lawyers.

An active member of the Suffolk County Bar

Association, Whelan was co-chair of the Family Court Committee from 2013-16 and lectured for the association’s law academy and other legal organizations. As a member of the Attorney for Child Task Force, she and the other members received the Suffolk County Bar Association’s President’s Award in 2016 for their work. She was also a member and past president of the Suffolk County Women’s Bar Association.

In March of 2022, in recognition of her leadership and commitment to improving the lives of children and families, Whelan was honored at a Women’s History Month celebration — Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope — presented by Suffolk County District Administrative Judge Andrew A. Crecca and the Suffolk County

Women in the Courts Committee. In June, Whelan was awarded the Marilyn R. Menge Award at the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York 2022 Convention.

Prior to beginning her legal career, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Master of Science degree in Policy Analysis and Public Management from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Her devotion to her family was boundless. She and her husband, Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Thomas F. Whelan, recently celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary. Together they raised two children, Joseph and Erin. Whelan was a proud grandmother to Erin’s 1-year-old daughter, Andrea.

In her spare time, Whelan enjoyed the outdoors. She could often be found hiking, kayaking or spending time at the beach. She ran in several half marathons in recent years.

She continued her dedication to the public good even after her cancer diagnosis, volunteering to participate in clinical trials — despite the risks — in hopes of helping find a cure. Her family, friends and former colleagues remember her as someone who braved challenges with grace and compassion. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

Theresa Whelan is survived by her husband, Justice Thomas F. Whelan; son, Joseph Whelan; daughter, Erin, her husband, Alex Meyers, and their daughter, Andrea; mother, Joan Bryant, and her husband John Bauer; brothers, Jack Bryant and Christopher Bryant; sisters, Vaughn Bogucki and Victoria Yule; together with many nieces and nephews.

Dimitrios ‘Jim’ Tsunis Sr., 94, entrepreneur and businessman

PREPARED BY JIM TSUNIS JR. DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Dimitrios “Jim” Tsunis, Sr., a man known for his charitable endeavors and Long Island business ventures, died at his home in St. James on Christmas Day. He was 94. Tsunis was born in Brooklyn to parents who emigrated from Platanos, Greece. He is predeceased by his wife Emily Tsunis. Together, they raised five children in Belle Terre and had a home in Palm Beach, Florida. He had a celebrated life that included meeting many TV personalities and sports greats. He was said to have “known them all.”

As a kid, Tsunis was an avid ball player and spent one summer as a bat boy for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Despite being a big Yankee fan, he found it amazing to be getting dressed in the same locker room as Ralph Branca, Gil Hodges and Pee Wee Reese. A few years later, during a tryout with the Giants, on consecutive pitches, he took Carl Hubbell deep down the left field line for home runs.

As a teenager, he caddied at Engineers Country Club becoming a regular for boxing greats Sugar Ray Robinson and Joe Louis. Tsunis left high school early to enlist in the Marine Corps spending time at Paris Island, Camp Pendleton, Pearl Harbor, China and Guam, all after World War II. In China, he famously recalls being “stunned” to have been fortunate enough to eat dinner with a four star General. After being honorably discharged and returning home to Brooklyn, Tsunis ran the Rotisserie Restaurant in Great Neck with his brother Charlie, thus starting his long “career” in the restaurant business.

After selling the Rotisserie, he enrolled in night school and received his high school diploma a few months later. He then briefly worked as an assistant at the Eagle Pencil Company. Thereafter, through a chance meeting with a family friend, Tsunis was fortunate to meet the president of National Dairy, who promptly hired him as a salesman for $106 per week. He remained in the dairy business for several years (Sheffield Farms, Crestwood

Dairy in 1951 as Sales Manager, and Kings Dairy up until 1954). In 1955, with money borrowed from his Uncle Louie, he purchased Presske’s Dairy in Lake Grove. During one reverse commute from his mom’s Brooklyn home, Tsunis stopped to help a motorist with a flat tire on Jericho Turnpike, in Centereach. That gentleman was R. Ford Hughes, chairman of the Suffolk County Republican Party, and he provided Tsunis with his initial connection to the world of Long Island politics.

In the 1960s, he started in the real estate development business and banking business. In March of 1961, Tsunis was appointed to the board of directors of Tinker National Bank by then president, Cecil Hall. Tsunis was simultaneously a member of the Centereach Chamber of Commerce, the CentereachLake Grove Lions Club, the Association of Developmentally Disabled Children, the Port Jefferson ELK’s Club, the Adelphi College Fund Raising Committee and vice president of the Harbor Hills Country Club.

OBITUARY CONTINUED ON A9

Theresa Whelan

Dimitrios ‘Jim’ Tsunis Sr.

JIM TSUNIS

Continued from A8

He founded and ran many businesses and organizations throughout his long career including Presske’s Dairy, The Dutch Inn, Nickels’ Restaurants, Eagle Building Maintenance, the Melville Chamber of Commerce, Dowling College Founder and served as Smithtown Conservative Party chairman.

Jim was an avid golfer — still hitting them long and straight into his 90s — and was a member of several country clubs over the years including Port Jefferson, St. George, Wheatley Hills, The Presidential and Indian Hills. He was also a lifelong Yankees fan and sports enthusiast.

He is survived by his five loving children: Louis Tsunis of Port Jefferson; George Tsunis (Stefanie) of Winter Garden, Florida; Demetrius (Jim, Jr.) Tsunis (Theresa) of Belle Terre; Marsia Farrell (Leo) of St. James; and Alexia Zamek (Scott) of Port Jefferson; as well as by his adored grandchildren and greatgrandchildren; LJ (Sonia) Tsunis, Arielle (William) Drepanis, Alexander Tsunis, Allie Zamek, James Tsunis, Paul Farrell, Amelia Zamek, John Tsunis, Sophia Tsunis, Sienna Tsunis, and Michael Drepanis.

Donations to honor his memory may be made to the Long Island Charities Foundation in Melville. Please call 631-777-6272.

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Editorial

Letters to the editor

The reawakening civic consciousness

After over a decade in dormancy, the Port Jefferson Civic Association was resurrected Monday, Jan. 9.

PJCA joins the vibrant civic community throughout the TBR News Media coverage area. From Port Jefferson Station/ Terryville to Three Village, Mount Sinai to Sound Beach, Centereach to Selden, and Smithtown to Huntington, civic associations work to improve this area continually.

Civic associations perform a critical public service. We often find powerful and monied interests run roughshod over ordinary folk. With their legal teams, public relations personnel and deep pockets, these special interests often do as they please — with the tacit or even express approval of local politicians.

But who is there to represent the citizens? Who ensures that the people are heard and that their will is implemented by local government? The civic associations.

In our democracy, the people are sovereign. The people empower the politician to carry out their will. But this is often not the case as politicians sometimes advance their own agendas out of a sense of grandiosity and self-importance.

A well-organized civic association serves as a valuable check on power. Through its members, the civic body comes to represent the shared values and interests of the community, directing local officials toward more representative policy outcomes.

Some of the best-informed and most engaged citizens are civic members. For this reason, they offer valuable feedback to local politicians. Civic associations, therefore, benefit and enhance local government.

Moreover, a civic association is a platform for residents to stay up to date and informed on local topics such as future planning, development proposals and redistricting. Through this forum, members can exchange ideas, debate pertinent issues and identify potential solutions.

We hold that a bottom-up approach is necessary. Power, policy and vision should come from the people, not the politicians. Through the discussions at civic meetings, elected representatives can carry the people’s collective vision into fruition. The civiccentric model represents the ideal of local governance.

The staff of TBR News Media congratulates the members of the Port Jefferson Civic Association. We look forward to following their work and the continued successes of civic groups throughout our coverage area.

For those who are not affiliated with a local civic, we highly encourage you to join. Now is your opportunity to get involved, to make your voice heard and to leave a positive mark on your community.

WRITE TO US … We welcome your letters. They should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style and good taste. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include a phone number and address for confirmation. Email letters to: rita@tbrnewsmedia.com or mail them to TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

Establishing a commonsense child care agenda

In the Dec. 22 edition, the TBR editorial board correctly identifies a lack of affordable child care as a major financial stressor for working families [“Long Islanders need child care assistance”]. Child care is often the highest cost budget item, with an annual cost that can exceed a mortgage or in-state college tuition payment. Our child care system has long struggled to serve the needs of working families, which has been greatly exacerbated by the pandemic.

As the statewide organizer for Education and Child Care at Citizen Action of New York, I work with the Empire State Campaign for Child Care, a coalition of advocates, providers, educators and parents charting a path to universal child care in New York state. We are proud of what we have accomplished this past year in securing record funding in our state budget that expands child care subsidies for working families.

There is still much to be done in 2023. Our priorities include establishing a workforce compensation fund to raise the wages of child care workers, who are in the bottom 3% of earners across the state. We seek to establish a health insurance premium support program for child care workers as their income rises above Medicaid eligibility levels.

If we value the learning and care conditions of our children, improving the working conditions of their caregivers must be a top priority. These changes will help to recruit and grow the workforce, increasing accessibility for families. More than half of New Yorkers live in what is known as a “child care desert,” meaning that there is only one available spot for every three children in need of care in their area.

The Empire State Campaign for Child Care calls for the elimination of benefit cliffs that exclude too many working families from subsidy eligibility. We advocate raising the eligibility level this year for families whose income exceeds up to 400% of the federal poverty level, which is the equivalent of $111,000 for a family of four. We would like to see categorical eligibility enacted for families enrolled in public assistance and preventive services. We seek changes that simplify the application

process, including creating an online application form.

Legislators of both parties must come together to address this urgent need of working families. I must note that state Sen. Mario Mattera [R-St. James] and state Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio [R-Riverhead], who are quoted in the article, both voted against the fiscal year 2023 budget that included the almost $2 billion allotted to addressing child care. If legislators are serious about providing solutions for working families in their districts, they must vote accordingly.

I look forward to advocating for working families with the Empire State Campaign in 2023, and ensuring that every family in New York state can access the affordable and high-quality child care they need and deserve.

Shoshana Hershkowitz South Setauket

Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. It is estimated that 13,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cervical cancer this year. Did you know cervical cancer can be prevented with screening and the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine? Stony Brook Cancer Center’s Cancer Prevention in Action Program is here to help keep yourself and your loved ones safe with these cervical cancer prevention tips.

Schedule your screening: Cervical cancer screening tests can find the cells that lead to cancer so they can be removed before cancer grows. Regular screening is recommended from ages 21 to 65.

Get vaccinated: Almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV. The HPV vaccine is recommended for children of all genders beginning at age 9 and is safe for adults through age 45. The HPV vaccine prevents over 90% of cancers caused by HPV, including cervical cancer as well as oral, anal, vaginal, vulvar and penile cancers.

Raise awareness: Cervical cancer is preventable. Raise awareness among your family, friends, and community that cervical cancer can be eliminated through vaccination and screening.

The CPiA program at Stony Brook Cancer Center works to increase HPV vaccination and reduce cancer rates on Long Island. CPiA provides education to community organizations, parents

and young adults about the benefits of the HPV vaccine.

Regular screening and getting the HPV vaccine can prevent, and possibly end, cervical cancer. To learn more about cervical cancer prevention and the HPV vaccine, go to takeactionagainstcancer.com or contact us at 631-444-4263 or at COE@stonybrookmedicine.edu.

(CPiA is supported with funds from Health Research Inc. and New York State.)

Annalea Trask Program Coordinator, Cancer Prevention In Action Stony Brook Cancer Center

Representation matters

American Girl recently released the 2023 Girl of the Year, the line’s first-ever South Asian American Girl of the Year doll. Kavika Sharma, more commonly known as Kavi, was revealed to be a Metuchen, New Jersey, resident and a proud member of the South Asian community. She loves to sing and dance, often finding comfort in watching her favorite Broadway shows. American Girl partnered with The New York Times best-selling author Varsha Bajaj to ensure that Kavi’s story accurately depicted Indian practices and culture. The full product line offers multiple costumes and accessories along with a Bollywood dance outfit.

I grew up playing with American Girl dolls. I considered Kit Kittredge, Josefina Montoya and Julie Albright some of my best companions. However, none of these dolls looked like me. It was pretty rare to see South Asian representation in the toy industry. So, it’s so refreshing to be introduced to Kavi Sharma, the first of hopefully many South Asian American Girl of the Year dolls. Racial representation in toys is truly important because it nurtures acceptance, inclusion and diversity. I’m glad people are starting to recognize this importance, as there is a great need for children to see themselves in their toys … and in this world.

I see myself in Kavi. I’m sure other young South Asian American girls feel the same way.

Reyva Jamdar 12th grader, Ward Melville High School

The opinions of columnists and letter writers are their own. They do not speak for the newspaper.

Some of the secret concessions McCarthy made to become speaker

Iheard from a friend, who heard from another friend whose neighbor’s cousin is the babysitter of someone who works in Congress. So, it has to be true.

Here’s the deal: I know some of the concessions Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) made to become speaker of the house.

The first concession is that McCarthy must begin each day by saying the words “we are all equal, but some are more equal than others,” at which point he’s supposed to subtly make the letters G and O in sign language with his hands to show that he’s thinking about “Animal Farm” author George Orwell.

former president Donald Trump (R), he plans to take a page out of the previous speaker’s playbook by picking up the copy of Biden’s speech and tearing it up in disgust as it were the first chapter of a book he’d like to ban from libraries around the country.

If things continue to be tense for hours, as a politician continues grandstanding, Santos can provide a Billy Joel encore, again with a slight tweak:

“Honesty is such a lonely word

I am certainly so untrue

Honestly is hardly ever heard

The person who heard it fourth hand was in the bathroom, minding his own business, trying, from what I understand, to make his best guesses at Wordle on his phone while battling an upset stomach when three of the principal negotiators in the process entered the bathroom and spoke in whispers.

Then, he has to look at the audience carefully to see if Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has had a bad night. If Gaetz gives him a particular signal, he’s not allowed to bang his gavel too loudly, to prevent a headache from getting worse.

Once he’s gotten everyone’s attention, he then agreed that he’ll lead the house in the Pledge of Allegiance, pausing when he reached the “under God” section to make it clear that religion is not only okay, but that many people, particularly those who might not have otherwise voted for him, believe in God.

Speaking of beyond belief, McCarthy has then agreed that if Rep. George Santos (RNY), whose name might have changed by the time this is relevant, is still in the house, McCarthy should ask him to sing a few songs.

For starters, according to Santos’s resume, he has won at least three Grammy awards, which means he has a wonderful and lyrical singing voice.

And rarely what I give to you.”

Following the example of Trump, McCarthy also agreed to hug a flag in public at least three times a year, to normalize the behavior and to demonstrate his commitment to America and the country’s values.

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF

When President Joe Biden (D) gives his state of the union address, he will give at least 15 head shakes, five winces and nine arched eyebrows. At the end of the speech, to defend

When things get too tense during deliberations with other Republicans, let alone the Democrats who are ruining the government and the country, McCarthy has a playlist for Santos. He’s going to sing the Meghan Trainor song, “Lips are Movin,” with a slight modification in the wording.“If my lips are moving, then I’m lyin’, lyin’, lyin’, baby.”

He also promised to support at least 13, for the original colonies, investigations in his first year as speaker, with a commitment to at least another dozen in his second.

Finally, in a subtle gesture meant to celebrate the political right, he planned to stand to the right of the podium and only to hit the gavel with his right hand while pausing to emphasize the word “right” every time he utters it.

The British Royals have won the battle for our air waves

Why are we Americans so fascinated by the British royal family? Well, surely not all of us are, but enough to make even the staid The New York Times write daily stories about Prince Harry and Meghan leading up to the release of Prince Harry’s book, “Spare,” this past Tuesday. On that day, the story went front page and continued on an entire broadsheet inside page. Just about every news outlet has covered the Prince Harry and Meghan Show.

a king or queen in the United States. Heaven forbid. So what, then?

Maybe it has to do, like most eccentricities, with our early childhoods. Shortly after I learned to read, I loved fairy tales about princes and princesses, wicked stepmothers and dragons. Thanks to the Brits, we have a replay of such stories for our adult lives. Well, sort of. It depends to whom one assigns the role of dragon.

elementary school years, when I would come down with some infectious disease, my mom would prop me up with lots of pillows in my parents bed, and I would listen to the half-hour soaps on the radio. Sometimes my mother would come into the bedroom to listen to one of her favorites. (Incidentally, that was before television.)

only as a relief from the constant acrimony.

As far as being an actress, Prince Philip, Harry’s grandfather, was quoted as having advised Prince Harry, “We don’t MARRY actresses.”

But in fairy tales, they live happily ever after. For us adults, the royals’ stories have a reality component. We know there is no such thing because we all have families. And families disappoint each other, fight with each other, malign and divorce each other and otherwise disgrace each other. But families don’t usually put their “dirty linen” out in public. Yet here is that gilded group, in theory living the best possible lives as kings and queens, princes and princesses, causing each other unbelievable grief. It’s a rom-com gone dystopic.

She was totally hooked on “Our Gal Sunday,” whose preamble each day would ask the question, “Can this girl [named Sunday] from a little mining town in the West find happiness as the wife of a wealthy and titled Englishman?” This may offer a clue to our captivation with the British Royals. In the case of Harry and Meghan, she, of course, is an American. While she doesn’t come from a little mining town in the West, she doesn’t have that as a strike against her, she is biracial, an actress and divorced.

And what can we say about biracial? A glimpse into racial attitudes among the court was the recent kerfuffle involving Queen Elizabeth’s former lady-in-waiting, Susan Hussey, and her insistent questioning of a Black British guest at Buckingham Palace as to where her family came from. The implication was decidedly not Great Britain. Hussey was stripped of her duties and publicly apologized.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have read each and every story in NYT. So I’m trying to figure out the appeal for myself and those who are similarly addicted. It’s not as if we would want to have

BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF

The other part of this drama is its permanence. Like the soap operas of old, the stories just keep unfolding as time progresses. Again, in my

Divorced! Divorce prevented Wallis Simpson from becoming Queen. Divorced caused Princess Margaret to lose her true love, Peter Townsend. And although Diana and Charles were finally allowed to get divorced, that was

So the current situation with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have chosen as their refuge the (usually) sunny shores of Southern California, has many threads of interest for Americans. And probably the real appeal of the current tribulations of the House of Windsor is its relief from the hard, very hard, news of our time: the war in Ukraine, the immigration mess at the southern border and the spread, denial not withstanding, of the coronavirus, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) germs.